A court of spirits finds itself at an impasse with how to proceed in reflecting their nature. For spirit courts all form around one spirit who in turn shapes the court to reflect aspects of themselves. But here, the original seed of power which formed this court of dreaming spirits hides its face away from the world and the court that once reflected that solitary spirit is now divided between two heirs. One heir seems to represent the triumph of ending dreams and in the ending to remember fondly what occurred. The other revels in the beginning of dreams, of escaping hardship and rejoicing in the creation of something new. While the original seed spirit held dominion over the court, these two spirits were complementary, for there can be no ending of dreams without the beginning of a dream and there can be no beginning of a dream if the dreamer was never awake.
Now though, without the original spirit, they find themselves opposed, and in their conflict they will shape the future of this court. One will hold dominion over the court and the other will fade from the court's purview.
In essence, it seems like a split between a large spirit court is happening. This will have fall out for everything that is governed by that court in the area. Given how pervasive dreams are, it seems like this split and conflict will likely be felt pretty much everywhere. I find it likely that Lady Dreaming Sands is involved in the conflict as well as her Court of Hidden Sands. Either as a subservient court to one of the heirs for this larger spirit court or as one of the major players in this divide.
So, to try and put it more succinctly, the underlying issue is that a spirit that originated a Spirit Court has gone into seclusion. There are two spirits who could take up the mantle, but neither could exist in the other's court. This is because when they were reflecting the original spirit they were complementary, but without that spirit to reflect they are oppositional. So they are in conflict until one can achieve dominion over the court.
That doesn't sound quite right:
Fabrics stolen from the Dawn ripple in concert with the stately waltz played by an orchestra of spectral figures. Spirits chosen for the blending of colors they offer dance steps older than rhythm. Waves of crimson crashing against cliffs of azure. Silver leaves blossoming from an ebony branch. A star shattering into seven colors as it crashes to earth.
This Consumption of Sapphire play sounds heavily symbolic all on its own, but I have no clue about what. Edit: I think the star shattering into seven colors represents the seven contenders for the throne of the empire.
A girl, younger than the morning dew, leans lightly against a balustrade and watches as myth and history play out wordlessly below her. A crone, older than eternity, sits with legs crossed in midair and watches the girl. Between them, fragments spark on dissonant notes, flutter on ungainly wings, and dissolve amidst contradiction.
The girl sips from a saucer filled with a viscous silvery liquid and waits. The crone ponders the ineffable and then speaks, "two sides of a [Dream] are we, one ever in orbit to the other. Yet so stark our differences have never been."
"A progenitor in seclusion. A Court divided," the girl straightens, eyes shifting from the Consumption of Sapphire and toward her counterpart. "Concepts claimed. Battle lines drawn. Is then conciliation still to be sought?"
You're right about the former leader of the Dream spirit court withdrawing, but the words "in seclusion" almost sounds like the progenitor is a cultivator in closed-door cultivation. Possibly the Emperor. Maybe the Empire is quite literally a dream made manifest?
"No." The crone's mask shimmers. A crimson eye blinks. Disappears. "Oppositional are we now, where once in complement we stood."
"Changed by Interlopers. Given to divide what had once danced in concert,"
It's not just the progenitor being in seclusion that cause the issue though, external forces acted upon them and threw them into conflict. And "interlopers" suggests that the external group was not a pre-existing enemy or ally but either something new or something previously not expected to interact with the Dream court. I suspect it has to do with the weird hidden realm that parked itself near our sect
Crimson flickers between strands of dark hair. The girl smiles. A vicious smile. "A third option yet exists."
"An avalanche to bury a solitary sapling." The crone disagrees, "amidst the mantle of Empire, only coexistence purchases survival."
"An ancient place, softened for mortal palate," the girl sneers. "Such is the Path of Dissolution. Of forgetting."
This is the part that really throws me because it sounds like contradictory arguments. I
think what happened here is that the girl proposed merging into one being instead of fighting each other for dominance, and the crone refused because that would somehow throw them into conflict with the Empire.
The girl meanwhile dislikes the empire for being old and stable and civilized, instead of raw and new and novel. Being so old that it forgets ancient truths
Knotted silvery hair flares as the crone shakes her head, "A welcome brings Novelty. Novelty sows seeds of new growth. Timeworn edifice becomes the soil for Renewal."
The crone argues that they need to work inside the Empire's system to spur change
"Of change you speak. Of destruction you promise." Tendrils of golden sand wrap around the girl's bare feet as anger grows. "The Arts of a thousand subjects winnowed to winter's bare soil."
This is where I get confused again. Either I've got the sides of the argument wrong in terms of what they want ... or maybe the "winnowing" being discussed here is development and refinement of existing techniques an ideas as opposed to the creative generation of new techniques. I find it interesting that the girl uses golden sand like we do, while the crone uses silver light
"A reliquary: to beasts now extinct, to tribes returned to wandering." Flecks of ebony swirl amidst gold and sand stills. "Worth is in use."
A thousand crimson eyes burn bright as the girl hisses. "Worth is in existence. In memory."
The ebony and crimson definitely tie into the imagery of The Consumption of Sapphire play. Also these philosophical contentions are the crux of their dispute. Is something of worth because it was of use or is still in use, even if it was forgotten? Or is it only if the thing still exists within living memory. I think the girl wants the empire to shatter into a bunch of fragments in order to maximize diversity of novel thought, while the crone likes the Empire as a way to collect and refine thoughts and techniques even if the homogeneity of the culture means less novel diversity at a given time.
"Thus are lines drawn and Concepts claimed." The crone muses. Sighs with fleeting regret. "Thus is War offered."
"Thus is War accepted," a scowl twists the girl's face into Nightmare.
They've agreed to fight it out
"The spoils of War: a barrier of Emerald." The crone provides the reward.
no clue. Maybe this ties into the star splitting into 7 colors and it means they collectively have control over the green fragment and the girl winning will direct it to the crimson fragment while the crone winning will direct it to the sapphire fragment
"The field of Battle: that which lies twixt Dream and Waking." The girl provides the stage.
The dreamer? Daydreams? Half formed memories? Emotional sentiment?
Quan Jia's vote is pillows or maybe blankets
"Until a victor is chosen. Until defeat is conceded," the two speak in harmony for the last time.
"for the last time" means reconciliation is no longer possible
"For what is a Dream without the Dreamer?"
"For what is a Dreamer without the Dream?"
I don't think one of them represents Dream and the other Dreamer. This could just be a traditional flourish as part of their rather formalized declaration conflict/betting
